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This article describes how to create a Windows startup disk to access a
drive that has a faulty startup sequence on an Intel x86-processor-based
computer.

Note The procedure for RISC-based computers is different. This article does not describe those procedures.

This Windows startup disk can access a drive that has the Windows NT file
system (NTFS) or File allocation table (FAT) file system installed. The
procedures in this article can be useful to work around the following startup
problems:

Corrupted startup sector.

Corrupted master boot record (MBR).

Virus infections.

Missing or corrupted NTLDR or Ntdetect.com.

Incorrect Ntbootdd.sys driver.

You can also use this startup disk to start from the shadow of a broken
mirror. However, you may have to change the Boot.ini file to do this.

You cannot use this Windows startup disk to resolve the following problems:

Incorrect or corrupted device drivers that have been installed in the
Windows System folder.

Startup problems that occur after the OSLOADER screen.

To work around or fix these problems, run the emergency repair disk, load
the last known good control set, or reinstall Windows.

To create a Windows startup floppy disk, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: You do not have access to a Windows-based computer

If you do not have access to a Windows-based computer, follow these steps:

Create a copy of the first Windows Setup disk by using the diskcopy
command, and then delete all the files on the new disk.

Copy the Ntdetect.com and NTLDR files from the I386 folder on the
CD-ROM to the new disk.

Rename the NTLDR file to Setupldr.bin.

Create a Boot.ini file.

The following example works for a single partition SCSI
drive with Windows installed under \WINNT. However, the exact value
in the [operating systems] section depends on the configuration of
the Windows computer that you want to start:

If your computer starts from an IDE, EIDE, or ESDI hard disk or from a SCSI adapter that does not have a built in BIOS, replace the scsi(0) with multi(0).

Note If you are running Windows NT 3.5 or 3.51 and your system starts from the first or second SCSI drive, you can also replace scsi(0) with multi(0).

If you are using scsi(x) in the Boot.ini file, copy the correct device
driver for the SCSI controller in use on the computer, and then rename
it to Ntstartupdd.sys. If you are using multi(x) in the Boot.ini file, you do
not have to do this.

Start your computer by using the floppy disk, and then log on to Windows.

Method 2: You have access to a Windows-based computer

If you have access to a Windows-based computer, follow these steps:

Format a floppy disk by using the Windows format utility.

Copy NTLDR from the Windows Setup CD-ROM, Windows Setup floppy
disk, or from a computer that is running the same version of Windows as the
computer that you want to access with the startup floppy disk. You may have to
expand this file from NTLDR._ to NTLDR by using the following command
line:

expand ntldr._ ntldr

Copy the Ntdetect.com file to the disk.

Create a Boot.ini file, or copy a Boot.ini file from a running Windows computer,
and then modify it to match the computer that you are trying to access. The following example works for a single partition SCSI drive with
Windows installed under \WINNT. However, the exact value in the
[operating systems] section depends on the configuration of the
Windows computer that you are trying to access:

If your computer starts from an IDE, EIDE, or ESDI hard disk, replace
the scsi(0) with multi(0).

Note If you are running Windows NT 3.5 or 3.51
and your computer starts from the first or second SCSI drive, you
can also replace scsi(0) with multi(0).

If you are using scsi(x) in the Boot.ini file, copy the correct device
driver for the SCSI controller in use on the computer, and then rename it to
Ntstartupdd.sys. If you are using multi(x) in the Boot.ini, you do not
have to do this.

Start the computer by using the floppy disk, and then log on to Windows.

Troubleshooting

You may receive either of the following error messages when you try
to start your computer by using your Windows startup floppy disk.

If the path that is pointing to the system files is incorrect or includes the
drive letter, you may receive the following error message:

Windows could not start because of the following ARC firmware
startup configuration problem: Did not properly generate ARC name for
HAL and system paths. Please check the Windows (TM) documentation
about ARC configuration options and your hardware reference manuals
for additional information. Boot Failed.

If an incorrect SCSI driver has been selected or the Ntstartupdd.sys file
does not exist, you may receive the following message: